1. Field of the invention
This invention relates generally to guards and supports for the wrist and hand such as are used in sports.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Wrist injuries are the most common injuries in sports such as mountain biking, snow boarding, skateboarding, and especially in-line skating. When falling to the ground, participants in these sports will often extend their hands to break the fall. The weight of their falling bodies places an enormous amount of force on the wrists, often resulting in hyperextension, sprains, or fractures. A number of protective devices have been disclosed which are intended to prevent or reduce the likelihood of injury to the wrist.
Current wrist guards generally consist of two plastic splints constrained tightly above and below the wrist by a fabric sleeve with three adjustable straps. The splints and fabric sleeve extend from the forearm to the hand and serve to fix the wrist at an angle of 20 degrees. Existing wrist guards are very uncomfortable to wear. They do not permit downward flexion of the wrist, place pressure on bones in the hand and wrist, are hot, do not breathe well, and are difficult to wear and to remove.
A number of such protective devices, which are intended to prevent injury to the wrist, have been disclosed in various United States patents.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,138,108 to Robinson discloses a hand/wrist brace designed to restrain forward or rearward flexing of the wrist while bowling. Flexible material is used to secure stiffening members on the front and back of the hand and wrist. Nearly all wrist guards for in-line skating and skateboarding on the market conform to this design.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,279,545 to Reese is for a wrist brace designed to limit the range of motion of the user's wrist during rehabilitation from injury. It consists of a rigid forearm member hingeably secured to a rigid hand member. The desired range of motion is adjusted by straps on either side of the brace. While appropriate for rehabilitation of injuries, this design would not be effective in preventing hyperextension and would be too bulky for active use in sports.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,170,508 to Kawada described a golf glove with a binding band which prevents the hand and thumb from bending backward.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,014,689 to Meunchen and Durkin is for a flexible hand brace intended to control carpal tunnel syndrome by limiting hand extension and flexion.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,854,310 to Lee discloses a splint having a rigid sheet, a rigid collar, and a retaining strap designed to immobilize part of a limb. The sheet is perforated to allow ventilation and cleaning of the limb.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,479,678 to Alivo is for a bowler's wrist brace comprising rigid members secured to the front and back of the hand and wrist by straps.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,400,829 to Willis is a football glove which provides protection for the back of the hand and back of the wrist.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,183,098 to Knowles describes a bowler's wrist support which prevents backward flexion of the wrist while allowing forward flexion via a series of rigid plates hingeably attached to one another along the back of the hand.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,238,939 to Stubbs discloses a wrist support consisting of a flexible band designed to brace but not lock the wrist.
Rollerblade has a wrist guard which also prevents backward bending of the hand while allowing forward bending. The design incorporates a semi-rigid plastic plate with a number of living hinges which allow bending in one direction and which lock at a predetermined angle in the other direction.
While some of the inventions referenced above are effective in preventing wrist hyperextension, they are generally uncomfortable to wear. Many devices constrain the wrist too tightly, so that they restrict both forward and rearward flexion, even though forward flexion is often desirable. The restriction on movement of the wrist also makes these devices uncomfortable to wear. The devices are often hot and sweaty to wear because the material and stiffening members prevent the circulation of air around the hand and wrist. Some devices are also difficult to put on and remove because they require the fastening or unfastening of up to three straps. Some inventions which incorporate a rigid stiffening member on the back of the hand and wrist cause pain when backward pressure is placed on the hand. None of the referenced disclosures combine the degree of forward wrist flexion, breathability, ease of use, and comfort of the present invention.